Amitava Bhattacharya, an engineering graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur and a Chevening Gurukul Fellow in Leadership and Excellence at the London School of Economics, is a distinguished social entrepreneur with 36 years of global professional experience. As the founder of banglanatak dot com, established in 2000, Amitava combines his passion for innovation, social entrepreneurship, and cultural development. His work focuses primarily on leveraging culture to address development challenges and promote world peace through music. banglanatak dot com, known for its expertise in culture and development, is renowned for its flagship initiative, Art for Life (AFL)—a pioneering model recognized globally for promoting development goals and social inclusion, which has been commended by UNESCO and the World Tourism Organization. Amitava is also the founder of the World Peace Music Festival, Sur Jahan, held in Kolkata, which has become a renowned destination for music lovers and artists from around the world. Amitava worked in the software industry during the early part of his career, from 1989 to 1999, notably at TCS and in Silicon Valley in the United States. In 2024, Amitava received the prestigious Distinguished Alumnus Award from IIT Kharagpur.